Salvia clevelandii is the Plant of the Month!

Salvia clevelandii is the Plant of the Month!

*Salvia clevelandii, Chaparral sage, Cleveland sage, medium- to large-sized shrub

This rounded evergreen with highly aromatic foliage and exotic flowers grows four to five feet tall and six feet wide. It has soft, fuzzy, wrinkled, small, grayish-green foliage. The underside of the leaf is lighter in color. The best features of this plant are its striking fragrant flower spikes that appear above the plant with clusters of bluish-purple blossoms. As the plant matures, the flower displays become more spectacular. It likes fertile, well-draining soil with supplemental irrigation. Allow the soil to dry out between irrigation. This plant will take full sun and reflected heat. When planting, leave plenty of room for it to grow quickly, as it takes up a lot of space in the landscape. Prune it back heavily each season after the blooms are spent to keep its size manageable. This plant is hardy to the low teens and is a great butterfly, bee, and hummingbird attraction. It also makes an excellent habitat for quail and other desert birds. Use it as a foundation, or low-water-use plant in perennial gardens, or for spring color on roadsides and medians, and for re-vegetating large areas. Also use around water features, pools, and ponds. The blossoms make excellent dried flowers and can be used in potpourris. It is native to the rocky slopes and hills in San Diego County, the central coast of California, and Baja California.

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